Chapter 34 Calliope
CALLIOPE
Asingle text in answer to Stacey hardly does justice to the multiple concerned texts she’s sent me over the past twelve hours, but it’s enough to stop her from calling the police about my absence which, according to the reply she sends while I’m racing home, she was seconds away from doing.
How can I be late for Nick’s birthday? What kind of mother am I?
I can’t believe I fell asleep.
There’s barely time to think any of it over as I arrive home almost forty minutes later and sprint inside—then stop dead.
The hallway is immaculate. A new wooden floor gleams all the way to the kitchen and the walls are covered in a warm, oak wallpaper that’s decorated with a sprinkle of floral accents.
It brings such warmth to the hallway that I almost don’t recognize it.
How fast do the people Elijah hired work?
No, there’s no time.
“Stacey?”
The door to the kitchen wrenches open, and Stacey stands there with her hair piled on top of her head and pinned in place, flour dusting one cheek and a mixing bowl under one arm. “Girl, you'd better have one hell of an excuse.”
“I’m so sorry!” I gasp, rushing toward her. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”
“No texts, no calls. I was terrified something happened to you!” As soon as I’m close enough, she shoves the bowl into my arms as I drop my bag. “What the hell were you playing at?”
“I didn’t plan it, I swear. It just sort of happened.”
“You don’t have that luxury, Calliope. I had plans last night and instead I had to stay looking after your kid and your crazy mother, who, by the way, thinks you left early to get decorations and she’s taken Nick for a birthday breakfast.” Her lips press into a firm line. “So? What happened?”
“Stacey, I’m so sorry.” She’s right. I don’t have the luxury of just falling into bed with a stranger and a curl of shame rises in my gut. “I don’t… I don’t know how it happened but I swear I’m okay, and I’m so grateful that you stayed.”
“Well…” Stacey grabs the bowl back with a huff. “I stayed because I’m such a good friend and I was supposed to be here early today anyway, but Calliope, you nearly made me a bystander to your death or something. Every text had me jumping out of my skin!”
“I know, I know!” I follow her deeper into the kitchen where several trays of cupcakes fill the counters. “I have no excuse.”
“Yes, you do.” Stacey sets the bowl down and begins adding more chocolate chips to the batter. “Come on, spill. Where were you?”
I beeline for the coffee machine. “With Elijah?”
“Talking?”
My cheeks warm as hot as the coffee I’m pouring. “No.”
“Calliope!” She gasps loudly and spins to face me. “Tell me everything.”
“I don’t think I have time. We have to finish prepping the food and decorating for the party, and I need to wrap his presents.” As I drink, my other hand shoots to my forehead. “Oh, God.”
“Fine. Well, I’ve got the food sorted and I know you wanted it all handmade, but I’ve ordered from that cafe down near the park. They’re bringing platters of sandwiches. So go, wrap your presents and stuff, but then you’d better be back here giving me every juicy detail.”
“I will. I’m really sorry, Stacey.” Passing her, I kiss her powdery cheek even as she rolls her eyes, then I dart off to my bedroom. Where would I be without her?
Somehow, the disaster of the day is prevented just in time.
I get all of Nick’s presents wrapped, set up every gift bag for his friends attending the party, decorate the newly painted living room with paper streamers, balloons, and a banner saying Happy Birthday, Nick!
, then I help Stacey set out the food on the dining table for the kids to pick at and nibble.
The sandwiches arrive not a minute too soon and then I have to rush back to my car and drive back into the city to pick up Nick’s birthday cake.
I’ve only just applied the final touches when the front door crashes open and Nick rushes home. “Mommy?” he calls at the top of his lungs.
“Just a sec!” Together, Stacey and I manage to hide the cake in the fridge just in time as Nick comes running through the door.
“Mommy!”
“Baby!” I turn and scoop him up into my arms as he rushes at me, his face bright and his eyes sparkling.
“Mommy, where were you?”
“I’m sorry, I was so busy getting things for your party! Happy Birthday, baby.”
“Thanks! Grandma let me have cake for breakfast!”
My heart sinks slightly and I lock eyes with Mom as she walks through the door. “Cake?” I ask stiffly.
“Yes,” she replies, looking away from me. “Someone had to make sure he was celebrated.”
She’s baiting me and likely annoyed that I wasn’t here this morning, but I don’t have the patience left to give her the usual space. “Are you kidding me?”
“Wanna see your party room?” Stacey interjects, and she takes Nick from my arms, flashing me a wink and then taking Nick into the living room. His delighted cries warm my heart as Mom pulls off her gloves.
“I don’t see what the problem is.”
“The problem is you gave a six-year-old cake for breakfast, Mom. All that sugar? He’s going to crash in the middle of his party and get cranky. I’ve told you this. You were supposed to take him for a decent breakfast to make up for the party.”
“And you were supposed to be here this morning, but you weren’t,” she shoots back, finally looking at me. “Where were you?”
“I was getting stuff for the party.”
“Really? Then why wasn’t your bed slept in?”
“I made it.”
“You don’t make your bed.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Calliope—”
“No, Mom. This is ridiculous. I wanted Nick here all day but you wouldn’t stop complaining, so I agreed you could take him for breakfast under one condition. A condition you broke. Tell me again why I should trust you?”
“This is my house!” she snaps, slamming one hand down on the table. “You can’t tell me what to do!”
“And Nick is my son,” I snap right back. “Your time with him is a privilege, not a right, do you hear me? If I can’t trust you with him, then I’ll be revoking that privilege.”
My words burn in my throat and come out far harsher than I intend, but guilt doesn’t come until I leave the kitchen and walk into the hall.
I didn’t mean to say it like that but the words just came out before I could stop them, and there is some truth to them.
Relying on Stacey is only a necessity because I can’t trust my mom, but it goes deeper than that.
The truth doesn’t settle in my heart until several hours later when the party is in full swing.
Party music blares from my phone set up near the speaker and the living room is filled with a handful of children dancing and yelling at each other over the games console I set up with the TV.
Nick is in the middle of a circle with a party crown on his head loudly telling his friends how we’re going on a holiday to the jungle in the summer.
A half-truth, as I said I would take him to a theme park, but I let him tell it how he chooses.
Mom lingers near the snack table keeping a somewhat decent eye on ensuring no one overeats, and Stacey stands next to me with a glass of orange juice.
“So?” she says finally, her voice low under the music. “You want to tell me what happened now?”
“Honestly? I don’t even know. I had to pick Elijah up from jail.”
“Jail?” Despite how quiet she spoke, the word seems to catch Mom’s attention on the other side of the room so I speak softer.
“It’s a long story, but I picked him up and I was pissed about that work thing.”
“Where they were accusing you of stealing?”
“Exactly. So I kind of ripped into him in the car but he didn’t deny it, and then he was begging me to come up to his hotel room to talk.”
“Talk?” She lifts one brow. “All night?”
“Hey!” I elbow her softly. “We did talk. He explained it all and honestly, to his credit… it did make sense, y’know? The long and short of it is that he was trying to clear me of suspicion, but then he told me he signed a deal and he’s technically my boss now.”
Stacey’s eyes narrow playfully. “Ooh, that’s kind of hot. Sleeping with the boss?” She quickly licks her lower lip. “You saucy dog.”
“Oh, God.” My cheeks warm once more. “It wasn’t meant to happen, but then he started telling me all these sweet things, like he’s falling for me and he cares for me, and finding me again after all these years was some lucky dream.”
“Hey, if you don't want him, I’ll take him.”
My heart jumps slightly and I cast my eye out to the party.
“Then we sort of fell into bed together because… because everything he was saying, I was feeling. Everything’s been so sweet, y’know?
Nick’s taken to him instantly, the dates have been amazing, the s-e-x is incredible,” I murmur, spelling it out just in case any smart six-year-old is listening too closely.
“And then we fell into bed and the next thing I know, I’m waking up to your texts asking if I’ve been chopped up in the forest.”
Stacey laughs but the concern in her eyes is genuine. “I was really worried. I didn’t want to get you into trouble, but I didn’t know where you were.”
“I know. That’s completely on me. I just…
I was so irresponsible.” I glance at Mom who now has her back to me as she helps one of the children get the balloon they want.
“I think it was nice to turn it off for a second, y’know?
I wasn’t the girl with the dead dad or the irate mom.
I wasn’t a mother or anything. I was just…
Calliope.” I shake my head and look back at Stacey. “That’s so selfish, isn’t it?”
She shrugs and squeezes my shoulder with her hand.
“I think it’s natural for any parent to want to feel like themselves again.
You have a baby or you go through something and suddenly, you’re all these labels for other people.
But you still exist. Just… next time, tell me so I don’t call the cops, okay? ”
“I don’t know if there will be a next time.”
Stacey pauses her drinking and stares at me with wide eyes. “You just said everything was really good?”
“It is, don’t get me wrong. But I can’t keep doing this. Not without telling him the truth.”
Stacey’s eyes dart to Nick who has fashioned a cape out of some wrapping paper and is now running around with his friends. “About Nick?”
“Mmhmm. And it terrifies me because… well, I have no clue how he’ll react, y’know?
If… when I tell him, I risk losing everything.
I just snapped at my mom about how Nick is mine, but, Stacey…
” I look at her as an unexpected warmth stings behind my eyes.
“Elijah is rich and powerful. If he’s angry enough, he could sue me, and what do I have to back me up? I could lose custody.”
“You have six years of raising a happy, healthy little boy,” Stacey tries to reassure me. “Nick is an amazing kid. You should be proud, and any court can see that.”
“Maybe,” I whisper. “But everything else? Legal fees and a lawyer and the stress of a case? I’d fight, but what if I lose? What if I lose him again and my son?” My stomach knots until there’s nothing but an uncomfortable weight settling in my gut. “I can’t lose my baby.”
“Calliope—”
Whatever else Stacey has to say is cut off by the ring of the doorbell. I excuse myself and weave through the excited crowd of kids chanting about cake and head for the door. It’s much quieter in the hall and I breathe deeply, then open the door with a wide smile. “Hi! Oh.”
Elijah stands on the doorstep with a wrapped present in his hands and he smiles. “Calliope.”
“Elijah. I… sorry, hi. I didn’t expect to see you.”
“Well, you left in such a rush that I didn’t get a chance to tell you that I had a gift for Nick. I don’t need to stay if you don’t want me to, but it’s here if you—”
“Come here.” I grab his wrist suddenly and pull him over the threshold. He’s here. It’s got to be fate that he’s here, and maybe this is the perfect situation to soften the blow. “Come in, please. There’s something I have to tell you.”